Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Quotes

I am terrified at the thought that so much hideous and bad music will be put on records forever.

There's no way that music could ever go down the tubes. I can't imagine a civilization without music. When you realize today that music is such a part of people's lives. And will always be, really.

I called the album 'The Chemo' because it seems like the industry and music overall is dying slowly.

There's always people saying that rock is dead, rock is over. People are always out to kill rock and roll.

The best music of any era lasts well, I think.

And to understand this, I think this is a most important point where I would like always to be understood what we do with the New York Philharmonic. That the meaning of the music is number one.

I would never take part in one of those Eighties nostalgia tours, although I've been asked many times, because it's like admitting you have nothing new to offer. As long as I can keep making music I'm happy with, and people want to come to my gigs to hear it, I'll carry on.

Late 20th century music was a really important thing. It changed the world, and I'm part of that, and now I'm part of the museum that celebrates that.

When I say 'hip-hop is dead,' basically, America is dead. There is no political voice. Music is dead.

The consolidation of the music business has made it difficult to encourage styles like the blues, all of which deserve to be celebrated as part of our most treasured national resources.

Why not invest in the future of music, instead of building fortresses to preserve its past?

A Beethoven symphony should be rehearsed like chamber music, only for a lot more people.

When it comes to orchestral music, whenever I see a concert with orchestra and strings, and I arrive and there are speakers up, my heart always sinks a little bit, and I think, 'It's going to be down to some sound guy's ideas.' Contact microphones on the violins. I'm a purist, I suppose.

While there used to be one or two Pops orchestras, now there are all kinds of European orchestras that suddenly look upon this as a golden wand that can enable them to make money recording this music.

Part of me is probably more conservative than people realise. I like my old string quartets, I don't like music that's trippy for trippy's sake.

New music is absolutely integral to classical music.

I doubt I'll be singing forever, because at some point people aren't going to want to hear my music, and I hope that I'll still get the opportunity to write songs.

It is very gratifying to see the music from 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy find a new life on the concert stage as it is performed by different orchestras and choruses throughout the world.

All the good music has already been written by people with wigs and stuff.

If 'Bobby McGee' lasts, if 'Star Is Born' lasts, if 'Help Me Make It through the Night' lasts, if all of 'em last, man... who cares?

People talk very much about, 'What can we do with the orchestra in the 21st century?' We should think about the 21st century, of course.

I think rock 'n' roll, in a way, has been dead for a long time.

Jazz isn't like pop, where you sell millions of records with a hit. Your spirit and soul aren't important in pop music. But jazz is like classical music. If people like you, they'll remember you and you'll last forever.

The public doesn't want new music; the main thing it demands of a composer is that he be dead.

Instrumental music is increasingly marginalized.